UK PM Crisis: Rishi Sunak on Sunday announced his candidacy for the post of United Kingdom Prime Minister. He already has the support of well over 100 MPs — a minimum requirement to bag the top job. Sources from Sunak’s campaign told the BBC that he has secured support from a number of senior colleagues, including former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
In a tweet, he said, “I want to fix our economy, unite our Party and deliver for our country,” adding that the choice his party makes now “will decide whether the next generation of British people will have more opportunities than the last.”
The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis.
That’s why I am standing to be Leader of the Conservative Party and your next Prime Minister.
I want to fix our economy, unite our Party and deliver for our country. pic.twitter.com/BppG9CytAK
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 23, 2022
Rishi Sunak, the son-in-law of Narayan Murthy, founder of Infosys, has consolidated an early lead by securing 100 members of Parliament required to make it to the shortlist for the race to replace Liz Truss as Conservative Party leader.
The 42-year-old is the clear frontrunner as he raced ahead with the backing of at least 128 Tory members of Parliament, even as loyalists of his former boss – Boris Johnson – claimed he has the necessary 100 MPs needed to make it to the shortlist.
According to a poll by Opinium, UK voters would prefer Sunak and Mordaunt over Johnson as the next PM. When asked to choose between Sunak or Johnson, 44% chose Sunak, and 31% chose his former boss, research conducted by Opinium on Thursday night found.